Concentrating and amalgamating table.



No. 804,466. PATENTED NOV. 14, 1905. J. A. HAMILTON.

GONGENTEATING AND AMALGAMATING TABLE.

APPLICATION FILED APR.3,1903.

2 SHEETS--SHEET 1.

PATENTED NOV. 14, 1905.

J. A. HAMILTON- CONCENTRATING AND AMALGAMATING TABLE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. a, 1903.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CONCENTHATING AND AIVIALGAIVIATING TABLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 14, 1905.

Application filed April 3, 1903- Serial No. 150,974-

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN ALEXANDER I-IAM- ILTON, mining engineer, asubject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Payneham Road, St.Peters, in the State of South Australia, in the Commonwealth ofAustralia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inConcentrating and Amalgamating Tables, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to certain improvements in concentrating andamalgamating tables for the treatment of metalliferous materials, andrefers more particularly to tables for the treatment of materials asdelivered from the crusher, being also applicable to slimes and otherproducts in a finely-divided state.

The object of my invention is to provide a table of cheap andinexpensive construction upon. which ores or metalliferous materials aresubjected to a peculiar motion whereby the heavier particles areseparated from. the gangue and a proper concentration effected. Themotion of such table is further adjustable to suit the nature of thematerial under treatment, and the table is also adaptable for theamalgamation of gold and other precious metals.

In order that my invention may be the better understood, I will nowproceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanyingdrawings, in which Figure l is a side view, partly in section, of atable complete, while Figs. 2 and 3 are end views and plan of the same,respectively. Figs. 4 and 5 are detail sectional views of the bearing orjournal for the vertical shaft. Fig. 6 is a detailview of a modifiedform of cranked arm upon the vertical shaft.

A is the main framework, being preferably constructed of wooden beams,within which a table B is suspended or otherwise suitably supported.This table B is preferably rectangular and oblong in shape and issuspended by rods C, arranged, preferably, about the corners of the saidtable. These rods C are attached to eyebolts C, fixed within theframework A at the top and having adjusting-nuts C and at the bottom tohooks B upon the table B, provided with links C whereby the height andinclination of the table may be adjusted to suit the nature of thematerial under treatment.

The table B is preferably constructed with a copper floor or bottom Bhaving transverse riffles B arranged at suitable intervals. Thesetransverse riflles B incline slightly toward the head of the table andare chamfered off at the top, as shown in Fig. 2, to allow of an easypassage of the gangue and other material which passes over the same.Immediately in front of the riflles B discharge holes or openings B areprovided within the floor or bottom B of the table B. These dischargeholes or openings B are provided with plugs B for opening and closingthem when required. These plugs B" are supported by standards B,attached to the riffles B, or if necessary any other means (such asvalves) maybe used for the purpose.

At one end of the table B, preferably the head, a vertical. shaft D isprovided, mounted in bearings E within the framework A. This Verticalshaft D is driven by pulleys D, ac tuated by belt BF, passing round thedriving-pulley F. A short distance above the head of the table thevertical shaft D is provided with a universal joint D whereby the lowerportion of the said shaft D may adapt itself to the peculiar motion ofthe table and still rotate. The lower end of the vertical shaft D isprovided with a weighted cranked arm. For this purpose the shaft D isbent or cranked at right angles, and the cranked arm D thus formed isprovided with a weight D,having a set-screw by which it may be adjustedin position, or, if necessary, the cranked arm D may be itselfadjustable by fitting loosely upon the vertical shaft D, being held inplace by means of a set-screw D", as shown in Fig. 6. The lower portionof the vertical shaft D asses through a suitable hearing or journalattached to the table B. This bearing G is shown more particularly inFigs. 4 and 5 and consists of a casing g, constructed in halves capableof being bolted together and having bearingpieces g. Thesebearing-pieces g are also constructed in halves and are madehemispherical in shape, whereby they may adjust themselves to thevarious positions of the table and the shaft as these move in accordancewith the motion imparted.

In operation the vertical shaft D is driven by the belt F and pulleys Dat a suitable rate of speed. As the weighted cranked arm D swings roundit imparts a peculiar motion to the table B through the medium of thepass down the table.

bearing G. This table B being suspended upon the rods C easily adaptsitself to the motion imparted, and in practice it will be found that itmoves in a series of elliptical paths having their axes in difierentdirections at different portions of the table. Thus the head of thetable moves in an elliptical path having a transverse axis, while thepaths traversed by the middle and lower portions of the table are in theshape of an ellipse, with the axis in a more or less longitudinaldirection. The material is fed onto the head of the table with asuflicient supply of water and flows down the face of the same bygravity. The peculiar motion imparted to it has a tendency to throw theheavier particles back, while the lighter or gangue are washed over theriffles B and The concentrates and other products thus collect againstthe upper side of the rifiles B and may be discharged through theopenings B from time to time, as may be required. The bottom B of thetable B being of copper may be amalgamated for the collection of anyfree gold or other precious metals, and the amalgam may be removed fromtime to time, while the con centrates may be collected and subsequentlytreated according to their constituents.

Having thus described my invention,what I claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent of the United States, is

1. In a concentrator, the combination with a table, and means to freelysuspend it, of a rotatable shaft, a shaft-section on the end thereof, auniversal joint connecting the shaft and shaft-section, a weightconnected to and eccentric to the shaftsection, and means fixed to thetable and through which the shaft-section can freely movelongitudinally, whereby the table is moved in elliptical paths when theshaft is rotated, substantially as described.

2. In a concentrator, the combination with a table and means to freelysuspend it, of a rotatable shaft, a shaft-section on the end thereof, auniversal oint connecting the shaft and shaft-section, a weightconnected eccentrically to the shaft-section, and a bear ing mounted onthe table through which the shaft-section can freely move, whereby thetable is moved in elliptical paths when the shaft is rotated.

3. In a concentrator, the combination with a table and means to freelysuspend it, of a rotatable shaft, a shaft-section on the end thereof, auniversal joint connecting the shaft-section, a weight connectedeccentric ally to the shaft-section, a casing fixed to the table andsurrounding the shaftsection, and bearing-pieces mounted in the casingengaging the shaft-section and adapted to adjust themselves to themotion thereof.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

JOHN ALEXANDER HAMILTON.

Witnesses:

CHARLES ANDERSON MURPHY, CHARLES STANLEY BURGESS.

